The new wave of austerity measures, coming on top of two years of spending cuts and tax hikes, have sparked widespread anger among a public that has seen its income and living standards drop with no clear end to the crisis in sight.

On Tuesday, about 100 uniformed police, coast guard and fire service unionists protested pay cuts outside Parliament, with a small group burning a wartime military German flag used in the Nazi era in 1935-1945.